The Phoenix Suns are currently gearing up for what could be a franchise-altering summer. Phoenix is widely expected to take calls on trading superstar Kevin Durant, but the more difficult piece to move will be shooting guard Bradley Beal, who has one of just two no-trade clauses in the entire NBA.
Recently, NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line Substack recently broke down what a potential buyout might look like between Beal and the Suns should they choose to go that route.
Beal has nearly $111 million left on his contract over the next two seasons,” reported Fischer. “The most that Phoenix can offer in a buyout, thanks to various salary cap complexities, is $80-ish million, meaning Beal would have to be highly motivated for a fresh start to accept such a dramatic reduction in exchange for unrestricted free agency.”
Fischer also reported on how the Beal situation factored into the Suns’ coaching search, which recently culminated in the hiring of Jordan Ott from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Another illustration that Phoenix knows it faces significant challenges to move on from Beal: Various coaches who interviewed for the Suns’ job in recent weeks were asked how they would utilize him in the event that 31-year-old is still on the roster when training camps open Sept. 30,” he reported.
It remains to be seen how Ott will opt to use Beal if he is still on the roster by the time next season rolls around, which would appear likely at the current juncture.
As Fischer noted, Beal would have to accept a significant paycut in order to buy out his contract, and he also has the right to waive any potential trade that the franchsie would make for him (not that teams are necessarily lining up to trade for his contract at the present moment anyway).
The much likelier candidate to be moved is Durant, who figures to have plenty of suitors on the trade market this offseason, even if his value may not be as high as it was when the Suns traded for him two years ago.
Trading Durant for a trove of feature assets could give the Suns some much-needed space to restructure its roster, even if Beal is still a member of it.
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